Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport (IAD) Flights & Information

Washington Dulles Airport (IAD) is the primary international gateway for the nation’s capital. It is a major hub for United Airlines, but also serves a long roster of global carriers that makes Dulles one of the most connected airports in the country. From its runways, flights travel to five continents and from corner to corner in the U.S. This airport is known for its striking architecture, its unique transportation system and a few dated facilities in some places. With so many distinct experiences at Dulles, this patchwork of an airport has some quirks to understand. But, we’re here to guide you through it with expert advice so that you can breeze through without issue.

How Dulles’ history and architecture affect passengers

The main building was designed by Finnish architect Eero Saarinen and offers a strikingly timeless welcome for people departing or arriving at the airport. Its sweeping wing roof and vaulted ceiling are supported by walls of glass on all sides.

Additional concourses were added to the main terminal as demand grew, but the piecemeal design means that they are each different. It also means that travelers need to get a good handle on the layout of the airport because it can seem confusing.

Main terminal

This is where travelers check in for all flights, and if you do not see your airline’s check-in counter, walk around to the other side of the first row. The counters are like an island with airline desks on either side. I often see confused looks when people cannot find their airline counter at first glance.

In the afternoon and evening hours, the check-in area can be swarmed with people as it was not designed to handle this many passengers. One level down is the baggage claim area, and it is equally packed with people when international and domestic flights arrive simultaneously during the same times of day.

Only a handful of gates are at this central building, and they are labeled “Z” gates. The rest of the airport’s are in separate concourses that run perpendicular to this building. A and B gates are in the first concourse while C and D gates are in the one farthest from the check-in building.

How to get between terminals

Security queues can be long, and not every lane supports CLEAR or TSA PreCheck so be sure to pay attention if you have one of those time-saving memberships.

Walk, ride or both?

An underground train, known as the Aerotrain, runs from the main terminal to other concourses, but you can also choose to walk (there are moving walkways).

The distances can be excruciatingly long if you are on foot and trying to reach certain gates. I tried to walk once to the United Express gates in A1-A6 from the main terminal and it took 15 minutes.

Pay close attention to the signage (it can be misleading in places) because you need to take the right train to the right concourse. It is not a loop system; instead, there are two differing track directions.

Some important things to know

The Aerotrain is not a perfect solution, either. When I take the train from the main terminal to the C gates, I still have to walk 5-10 minutes from the train. Going from the low A gates to C on the train can take even longer as there are so many escalators and walkways you must navigate to get to the train station.

Even within the C and D concourse, it can take awhile to walk from end to end. This aging building has no moving walkways, and dragging bags on the carpeted floors is an exercise in patience and humility.

The famous Dulles people mover vehicles

Another (and far more interesting) way to get between terminals is using the people movers. These “Jetsons-like,” 1960s designed vehicles drive above ground between terminals. Dulles is synonymous with these “mobile waiting rooms,” and I love the airplane views from the windows as you go across the apron.

Many (non-United) international flights disembark from the plane to the A and B gates, and then directly to these people movers that bring them to the main terminal for immigration and customs.

This means that if you have a connection, you must allow time to board the people mover (it can take several minutes as the driver waits for them to fill up). Mobile Passport and Global Entry prove helpful for those in a hurry.

Then, you must complete immigration at the main terminal and repeat the walk, train or people mover transit back to the other terminals if you have a connection. Luckily, United’s international flights arrive into C and D and can use an immigration and customs facility in the same building, which saves time.

The bottom line is that making flight connections at Dulles (especially international-to-domestic transits) can take time.

Understanding the terminals

The airport’s terminals are very different from each other. C and D are much older; A and B are the newest and most attractive.

Z Gates

These are the easiest gates to access from the main terminal as they are in the same building, but there are only a few of them. Expect limited shopping and no lounge options here.

A and B Gates

The low gates A1-6 are for United Express regional jets, and these flights board in a hectic space packed with people. You walk outside and up the stairs to board planes. I have seen so many people miss flights because multiple flights board from the same gate, and it is hard to hear the gate agents. You have to pay very close attention.

A few restaurants and shops are in the low-numbered A gate section, but no lounges, which makes for a pretty miserable and cramped place to wait.

A series of escalators or stairs takes you to the higher A and B gates in a modern terminal with ample natural light and flags from many of the nations you can reach via Dulles. I love walking through this part of the airport as there are so many foreign airlines and languages surrounding you.

The variety of shops and dining options here is the best in the airport. I enjoy the numerous airline lounges, especially since many are accessible with Priority Pass. My favorites are the Turkish Airlines and Air France lounges.

Word to the wise, however, many lounges only accept Priority Pass guests when they are not busy. Pay attention to the hours you can use the lounge, and try to visit before they cut off Priority Pass guests. They usually fill up later in the day with their respective airline customers.

There are no moving walkways in this concourse, and walks from one end to the other can be very long. I was enjoying the airplane views from one airline lounge and lost track of time. It was a serious sprint from one end to the other.

C and D gates

This is United’s main complex of gates, and the walks from one end to the other are also terribly long. The concourse is home to two United Clubs and a Polaris Lounge for long-haul, premium cabin Star Alliance passengers.

There are some decent dining options here, but walking to them on the aging carpet while dodging crowds of people can sometimes be a deterrent.

Getting to and from IAD

Rideshares, taxis, shuttles, public buses and private cars are the most common ways of getting to the airport. The Washington Metro now reaches Dulles via the Silver line in less than 40 minutes, and the station is about five minutes from the main terminal making it one of the cheapest ways to get to the airport.

Helpful tips

If you have Star Alliance Gold status with United, you can access the Lufthansa Lounge in Concourse B, even if traveling on a domestic United itinerary in economy. This is a unique exception in the access rules that gives United domestic fliers the chance to visit because Lufthansa is an international carrier with its own lounge.

Star Alliance fliers with Gold status or flying in a premium cabin can use the Polaris Lounge in Concourse C, even though non-United flights depart from A and B. Just take into account the long walks or train ride needed to go between them.

Aviation fun facts

Dulles is where the Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet was christened in 1970 before its first commercial flight. It would go on to fly for Pan Am, which operated several of the type in its fleet.

The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, which is part of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, has a museum annex next to the airport. It is a popular place to visit on a long layover.

On display are notable aircraft like Concorde, the Space Shuttle Discovery and vintage planes used in World War II. The best part is that admission is free. To get there from the airport, the Fairfax Connector 983 bus takes 25 minutes to reach the museum from the lower level of the arrivals area (exit 6 from bus stop 5E).